Everyone Tells Me.....
So I am sitting here listening to Nat King Cole at the Sands and hearing that one of a kind voice. I am constantly bombarded with actors telling me that EVERYONE they talk to tells them that they should be doing voice overs. The fact is that if I could find a way to monetize that one statement I could retire and spend my days at a surf shack on some remote tropical island. I truly believe that all of these actors think they can have a voice career, and they probably can, but they are unwilling to put in the real work.
I can give you a Stradivarius violin, the most amazing instrument in the world, it doesn't mean you are a concert violinist. You may have been blessed with the most interesting voice on the planet and it doesn't mean you can do voice over. It takes skill and training to be a successful voice artist. But the real key to VO success, is reading comprehension. What is the copywriter trying to say and how can you best help him say it. You would be amazed at the number of actors who come into the voice booth and don't get the point, miss the joke or worse miss the whole message.
The second biggest mistake is reading the description of what they are looking for and trying to fit into that box instead of being yourself. A thousand actors can read the words, you need to make it yours. Maybe the choice is wrong, but at least it is a choice. I hear auditions all the time that are so generic. Why should I hire you? That is a question we need to ask anytime we go into a room, but certainly one that applies in voice.
Practice reading copy whenever you can. Technology has given us the means to practice this art anytime you like. Magazines provide you with ample copy. You can record on your phone, computer or go old school and trot over to the Goodwill and buy a cassette recorder. Check out all the sound studios near you and find a workout group. These are small groups of VO actors who all pitch in a small fee and rent a studio for a few hours and peer direct each other with various forms of copy. Get into class and learn the basics.
Last piece of advice and then I am off to the passport office. Do not make a demo reel with a ton of "funny" voices. This is a waste of your time. Put together a tape of your MONEY voice. That voice that is going to make you $$$. Get hired and then show everyone how versatile you are. I can tell you that in all of my years of agenting, I have heard only one animation reel that I thought was great. the rest are just a bunch of bad accents and voices you probably can't sustain. Concentrate on what will make you money.
But this is just one asshole's opinion.
I can give you a Stradivarius violin, the most amazing instrument in the world, it doesn't mean you are a concert violinist. You may have been blessed with the most interesting voice on the planet and it doesn't mean you can do voice over. It takes skill and training to be a successful voice artist. But the real key to VO success, is reading comprehension. What is the copywriter trying to say and how can you best help him say it. You would be amazed at the number of actors who come into the voice booth and don't get the point, miss the joke or worse miss the whole message.
The second biggest mistake is reading the description of what they are looking for and trying to fit into that box instead of being yourself. A thousand actors can read the words, you need to make it yours. Maybe the choice is wrong, but at least it is a choice. I hear auditions all the time that are so generic. Why should I hire you? That is a question we need to ask anytime we go into a room, but certainly one that applies in voice.
Practice reading copy whenever you can. Technology has given us the means to practice this art anytime you like. Magazines provide you with ample copy. You can record on your phone, computer or go old school and trot over to the Goodwill and buy a cassette recorder. Check out all the sound studios near you and find a workout group. These are small groups of VO actors who all pitch in a small fee and rent a studio for a few hours and peer direct each other with various forms of copy. Get into class and learn the basics.
Last piece of advice and then I am off to the passport office. Do not make a demo reel with a ton of "funny" voices. This is a waste of your time. Put together a tape of your MONEY voice. That voice that is going to make you $$$. Get hired and then show everyone how versatile you are. I can tell you that in all of my years of agenting, I have heard only one animation reel that I thought was great. the rest are just a bunch of bad accents and voices you probably can't sustain. Concentrate on what will make you money.
But this is just one asshole's opinion.
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